KENTA sat down for a new interview with Chris Charlton of the English version of the New Japan Podcast to discuss his arrival into NJPW. The former Hideo Itami also expresses his interest in facing certain talent within the company that would include a former WWE colleague Jon Moxley and potential title implications. Quotes are below:
Why New Japan?
“Let’s say now New Japan goes worldwide. I want to show my wrestling to the world as KENTA, not Hideo Itami. I want to show my wrestling to the world and if so New Japan goes worldwide—U.S. or U.K.—everybody knows what New Japan [is] so I decide New Japan.”
On his relationship with Shibata:
“Back in 2005, at the time Shibata was in New Japan, I was in Pro Wrestling NOAH. We have [a mutual] friend, and then that friend invited both of us and then we met first time in 2005, and that night we drunk a lot. I think we like a little bit of similar people so we help each other. I don’t know if you know—Shibata left New Japan Pro-Wrestling and I invited him to my company. That was 2005 and then almost 15 years later Shibata introduced me to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. That was a little bit weird but we have a lot of history. Actually we never had [a singles match], but we have a lot of tag team matches. Good tag partner and also out of ring we talk about wrestling or something like a hobby. Good friend for a long time.”
On if he wants to have a match against Moxley, who he said was the ‘top of the top’ in WWE:
“Definitely. I want to have match with him cause now I’m not just stupid ‘Hideo Itami’—now I’m KENTA. I want to fight him as KENTA. I want to kick his ass, yeah.”
On who else he wants to compete against in NJPW:
“Okada [is] IWGP champ, so I definitely want to have a match against him. I’m also interested in Naito.”
KENTA also spoke about his primary focus being on the G1 tournament, the long point by Shibata and more.
(Transcription credit should go to @DominicDeAngelo of WrestleZone)
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